Finally A NEW CHAPTER!
I'm so sorry this took so long. I was having one of these moments where I knew what I wanted to write, but couldn't seem to put it on paper. So frustrating…
But to make up for it, this is a pretty long chapter and I really hope everyone enjoys it.
No worries for anyone…Sarah isn't pregnant. Many of you were right in thinking that it would cause problems, especially after her learning about her parents little 'problem'. Besides she's only 17! But just to keep your little minds in agony, someone is, but obviously it isn't going to come out for awhile.
Pema: welcome to the story and thank you for your wonderful review!
Tipper: Thank you so much for you compliments! I must say my Cal has nothing on yours though…but I'll put that in my review for 'Olivia' in a bit : )
Sara: Oh come on! George and Harry would make an adorable couple! LoL
KM: No, Cal doesn't know…yet ;)
Diaries: Thanks for much your review! I'm so happy you added me to your fave list…truly I am honored : )
Norma: Muah! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!
Chapter 43
April 20, 1912- Night
A few moments later when I left Grandfather I felt a thousand times better than I had when I first entered the room.
It was just any one thing that he said that had done it. It was the simple fact that I knew he was being completely honest with me, something I didn't think anyone in my family had ever done before, at least when I had been concerned.
My thoughts were on nothing but my parents as I climbed the stairs to my room. All my life I had loved and admired them and to hear the gruesome truth about their affair had tarnished my whole perception of them both. My mother had been an angel in my eyes. Beautiful, benevolent and above all someone you couldn't help but love. Since I was old enough to remember I knew Nan had been telling me that. It was no secret that I had indeed been sheltered from American society, but the few people I had come to know, Mrs. Brooks, Polly's Grandmother for one, had always told me the same story that Nan had. And I couldn't help but wonder if Nan had molded it that way.
I reached my room, stopping to gaze at the portrait of my father that hung in the corridor. He was about my age; his dark hair and green eyes enhanced his handsome face and it was no wonder to me why my mother was so attracted to him. George and I had both inherited his eyes…
I stared at his picture, trying my best to make the portrait feel my anger, but gave up when I couldn't make the faint smile on his face disappear and went into my room and shut the door behind me, escaping it altogether. I then realized that my room offered no sanctuary though; pictures of my family were scattered all over dresser tops and shelves.
I laid each and every one of them face down on their surface and fell down onto the soft, inviting covers of my bed and curled myself into the fetal position. On my night table, Harry's watch laid and I reached for it, cupping it in my hands trying to find just an ounce of the comfort it had given me as the Titanic was going down.
Nothing happened though.
Sighing I held it up above my head and dangled it back and forth, in a hypnotizing manner. I felt like my life was something right of a Dickens novel. So much angst and drama surrounded my very existence, how could Harry stand to even be near me?
"Sarah…"
I looked over to the door, hearing George's voice and saw him peak his head through, his hand over his eyes. "Are you decent?"
I smiled, my frustration broken for just a brief moment, "Yes, you may come in."
He entered the room and shut the door and joined me on the bed. We both stared at the top of the canopy for a moment before he nudged me.
"I talked to Grandfather."
I didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"George, I really don't want to discuss it right now. I want it to just go away."
"It's not going to, Sarah."
I looked away from him, knowing very well how right he was. It occurred to me that I do this with a lot of my problems; ignoring them and hoping that they vanish. It had never worked and I didn't know what I assumed that this would be any different.
I turned back to my brother and clutched his hand like a scared child, "George, why did all of this have to happen to us? We're orphans, with our parent's reputation and Grandmother's lies haunting our lives. God must be punishing us-"
"No, that's not true."
"How do you know?"
"Look around you, look at all the wonderful things you have; clothes on your back, a roof over your head, a family that loves you, the best brother in the world…" I smiled when he said that, "…and even a wonderful man that seems to only have eyes for you…"
I was lucky to have Harry, but was Harry lucky to have me?
"…if God really did have a grudge against us, I think you would know."
I nodded, agreeing with him.
He smiled back and patted me gently on my hand, "I'd better let you get dressed then and go downstairs and make sure Grandfather hasn't cast Harry to the rats or anything."
"He's already here!"
George got off the bed and nodded in my direction, "Yes, we rode over in the car together. I left him in the sitting room while Grandfather told me what had happened, so don't worry he doesn't know."
"No, that's not what I meant; I just thought I had more time."
I went over to the old fashioned bells that Grandfather still had and rang for Nora to come and help me dress, while George watched with amusement.
"Ah, young love." he quipped, and I glared at him.
"Get out of here before I throw a pillow at you!"
He laughed at me and bowed gracefully at me, "Yes Madam, I am your humble servant, always here to…OW!" his hair was disheveled from where I had thrown the pillow and he rubbed his head and glared at me playfully, "You try and make someone feel like a queen and they throw bedding at you, what's the world coming to?" and with that he stomped out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving me amused and much happier than I had been all afternoon.
Nora arrived in my room not long after George had left. I already had a nice black dress picked out; long sleeved with an A-line skirt that parted half way down to reveal a silk white skirt underneath, all of this came together with a large felt belt above my waist that had a diamond pendant sewn into the very center.
Although not as skilled as my dearly missed Hannah, Nora did manage to do my hair up nicely; brushing it out till it was silky smooth and putting in a white silk hair piece, that fit around my head like a band and circled around holding the rest of my hair in place.
I immerged from my room a few moments later and ignoring my father's portrait, I started down the hall to the stairs and went down them to the sitting room, where I met George, Grandfather and Harry.
"Her highness finally graces us with her company." George said, grinning in my direction.
"George, leave your sister alone, we do have company after all." Grandfather replied, indicating Harry, who sat on the corner of the couch. He looked so handsome in a brand new suit and shoes. We exchanged small smiles in the others direction, making my heart begin to race. I loved how just his smile alone could make me feel so perfectly wonderful.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick came into the room and announced that dinner was ready and the four of us followed Grandfather from the sitting room, across the hall and into the dining room. As soon as we were all seated in our respective places; Grandfather at the head of the table, Harry to his right, George to his left, and me next to George, Nora came around and began to pour wine into all of our glasses. When she reached Harry though he held his hand up to stop her,
"No thank you, I don't drink."
Nora froze in mid step, not knowing what to do.
"You don't?" George asked.
Harry shook his head while I looked at him in amazement; I had never met a man who had turned down any kind of alcohol before. Whiskey and Brandy were their drinks of choice and they drank them as if they were cough syrup, even Grandfather.
Oh no…
I turned towards Grandfather and saw him look at Harry in a peculiar way; he then turned to Nora and instructed her to continue.
"Can I offer you anything else, Mr. Lowe?"
"Water will be fine, thank you."
"Very well then, Nora a fresh glass of water for our guest."
Nora nodded and finished pouring the wine in my glass and left the room and returned a few moments later with a pitcher of water and poured some into Harry's glass.
After that dinner went by very smoothly. I listened and ate my dinner while the men around me spoke about things that couldn't hold my interest, but when the last course was served Grandfather turned to me and asked;
"So Sarah have you decided whether or not you will come to Washington with me for the hearings?"
"Yes, Grandfather I have decided to join you."
He smiled approvingly, "I'm glad. Since you will be coming then I suppose Mr. Smith will like to question in front of the other senators, since I myself used to be one. You'll be setting a good example for other young woman."
"He won't be questioning everyone else in front of them?" I asked.
Grandfather shook his head, "No, Mr. Smith has already questioned many of them in privacy and will add their testimony to the transcripts later…when are you speaking Mr. Lowe?"
Harry cleared his throat and answered, "Wednesday morning."
"Sarah and I will be sure to be there then, won't we, Sarah?"
I smiled at Harry and nodded, "Yes, we will."
Harry smiled back at me, lingering a sweet stare at me that only the two of us would understand.
"Well it's all settled then, Sarah and I will leave on the 8 o'clock train tomorrow night and George you will be leaving for school on Sunday morning won't you?"
They began to discuss George and his return to college and how he would be graduating soon. Harry participated in the conversation, but every now and then would throw tiny looks my way to make me smile.
When dinner was over Grandfather led us all back into the sitting room and told Nora to have some coffee prepared for us.
"Sarah, why don't you take Mr. Lowe on a tour of the house, I need to discuss some things with your brother."
"Yes sir," I stood up and turned to Harry, "Follow me, please, Mr. Lowe."
He did and the two of us walked out of the sitting room and I led him down the hall to the library. Neither one of us spoke or even acknowledged the other until we were in the library and the doors were closed behind us.
With the final click of the large oak door Harry pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips firmly and passionately against mine. I sighed, not being able to help myself, a whole day had passed since he had last kissed me and the cruelty of being around him all the time and not being able to have moments like this was unbearable.
He didn't let his kiss sit on my lips, instead he spread it all over; my cheeks, my forehead, even the tips of my fingers.
"Harry…" I pushed him away, laughing.
"Do you have any idea how long I've been holding that in?"
I smiled and let him kiss me again; a small kiss this time, but just as full of emotion as the last. When we parted we stared into one another eyes with an affectionate gaze, but I soon broke it, realizing we were in my Grandfather's house and that there were servants everywhere.
"I promised you a tour didn't I?" I said moving away from him, but taking his hand into mine as I did so.
"Uh, yes you did. I take it this is the library."
"Yes, one of my favorite rooms, actually. All of this furniture was specially made for my family nearly hundred years ago in England."
"So your family is English then?" he asked, with a teasing tone that made me smile.
"Yes, my grandfather's family was on the first in the colonies. He's very proud of that." I replied, sitting down on the sofa.
"Is that one of his relatives?" he asked pointing to the painting over the mantle of my great great-great grandfather, Alexander Wilkes. It showed him atop his horse ready to go into battle with British troop during the revolution.
I explained all of that to Harry, and he looked at the picture and began to laugh, "You know I wouldn't be one bit surprised if one of those little redcoats in the picture is my great great Uncle Edward."
We both laughed at the thought and he joined me on the sofa.
"I guess this is one of those perfect American families, isn't it? A senator for a grandfather, a brother in medical school, a grandmother-"
"Let's not talk about that right now." I interrupted. My reasons were more than obvious to myself, but I didn't want to ruin this moment with Harry by telling him.
"Oh, alright. What do you want to talk about then?"
I thought for a moment and then responded, "Your family."
He smiled in confusion, "My family?"
I nodded, resting my head on hand that I had propped up on the back of the sofa.
"Well, what do you want to know?"
"Everything? It just occurred to me that I don't know very much about you."
"You know plenty about me."
"I do not; for instance I don't know your birthday, your middle name, are you the oldest or youngest in your family, or are you an only child?"
"November 21, Godfrey, and I'm the middle child…I think."
I giggled, "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
"Seven."
"Seven? Mercy, that's a big family!"
He smiled, Seven; Ada, myself, Edgar, Anne, Arthur, Eddie and Fred."
"That's only six." I replied after repeating the names in my head.
He looked confused for a moment then found himself. His face fell and sadness seemed to pour down on him, "My brother George passed away when I was 12, he drowned."
"Oh Harry…" I went to him, placing my hand on his, trying to be comforting. He patted it softly and smiled at me.
"It's alright, it was a long time ago, 17 years almost." he then looked at me and laughed, despite the tears in his eyes, "You must have been about 6 months old then."
I gave him an evil, slightly playful glare.
"I don't like that look, alright I give you permission to ask more questions."
I smiled, "Alright, do your siblings have any children?"
"Well, Ada has three; Cole, Elin and Mabli, and Edgar has one; Gwendolyn, and Anne has one; Dylan."
"How old are they?"
He laughed, "Let me think here…Cole is 9, Elin is 6, Dylan and Mabli are both 3, and Gwen is just a baby, she was born in the fall, October or November."
"How sweet." I replied, loving the look in his eye as he spoke of each one of them.
He nodded, "Yes, for little rascals they're sweet. It's nice to go home for Christmas and be attacked by their sticky hands and hear 'Uncle Harry! Uncle Harry' till my ears are ready to fall off."
I laughed, "There's nothing wrong with children loving their uncle."
"If they love me then they're going to adore you."
"Why do you say that?
"I just know," he answered, leaning over and brushing my cheek with his hand, "You're too beautiful, inside and out, for them not to love."
I smiled, finding myself feeling shy as he looked at me with such love and wonder, "Come, there's more to this house than just the library." I told him, reluctantly breaking the moment between us.
I led him out of the library and showed him the conservatory, the private family parlor and the Music Room. Finally I took him into the Portrait Room. A room I myself hadn't been in very often. As the name says it is full of portraits; hung all over the high dark walls of the room whose length and width seemed to go on for ever.
Harry walked around the room with me; hands clasped behind his back and looked at each and every one of the paintings on the wall.
"Are you in any of these?" he asked.
I shook my head, "I've only had my picture taken with a camera and Grandfather keeps those all in albums. Some of them are over here on the shelf though…" I walked over to the high wooden shelf and reached for one and sat down on the settee so I could open it.
The pictures weren't recent, in the ones I was in, I appeared to be only about five or six, but Harry found interest in them none the less.
"Look at you in ringlets!"
"You don't want to know the pain I endured for those curls." I remarked, remembering all to well my nurse tying my hair in strips of fabric, making me sleep with them in, and then pulling them on and in the morning, along with good chunks of my hair, all for perfect curls that Rose had naturally.
"…you look so prim and proper, didn't you ever get dirty as a child?" he asked.
"Once in awhile," I replied, "It was always fun for me to slip on those perfect little white dresses and go jump in mud puddles in the garden and watch my Grandmother's face turn purple when she saw me."
"Mud wasn't my thing, I lived on the water. Started sailing when I was 8 and never looked back."
"I've never been."
"Oh I'll take you."
I shifted uneasily, I wasn't quite ready to leave the safety of land yet, and I had a feeling it would be a long time before I went on a ship or near water for that matter without being overcome with fear. I smiled bravely for Harry though and told him I would love that.
Meanwhile…
(Written from a narrative POV)
"So my suspicions are correct, she has taken a liking to this man."
George nodded to his grandfather, "Yes, sir."
Jared nodded and looked over to his grandson, "I must say she is using her brain. He's hardworking, a gentleman and has exceeded my expectations as far as personality-"
"It's the wealth issue that bothers you, isn't it?
He exhaled heavily, "Yes! Damn it all, yes!"
"Money doesn't matter to her."
"But it does to everyone else! I know Hailey wants to marry her off to that Hockley boy…"
"Taylor."
"Yes, Taylor, not a bad young man, but you know my feelings about that family. I've never liked Nathan and I'll be damned if my granddaughter becomes part of his family and shudder to think that she would have to bear his grandchildren.
"What ever alliance Hailey and Nathan have I want it broken…and I want my granddaughter to have her happiness. You see to it George, if she wants this Mr. Lowe, you make sure she has him. Money or no money."
MG: Are you totally trippin? Lol one of Harry's nieces named after you! She'll be in the story a lot in the future…or so I'm planning. Thanks again for the names!
Liz & Anarra: You guys said you were starting to like grandfather…now I bet everyone does ;)
Just to let everyone know, I will be adding Harry's family to his section of the Character list sometime this week. Right now I'm just so relieved that the chapter is done lol